The banner headline "Ideology has clouded our political debate" from a recent column in the Press-Register by Washington Post op-ed writer Michael Gerson jumped off the page at me. I would argue that ideology must drive political debate — particularly in the 2012 elections.

America faces a distinct ideological choice. Do we want to be the "exceptional nation" of principled leaders and virtuous citizens that our Founding Fathers envisioned, or do we want to be a European style "cradle-to-grave" society where social policies have led to riots as the government tries to implement austerity measures?

Do we believe that social engineering guaranteeing equal outcomes trumps individual liberty and achievement?

Do we want to be able to keep the fruits of our labor and decide for ourselves how to "distribute" them, or do we want politicians and unelected government bureaucrats to redistribute our assets as they see fit?

The offer of "free stuff" is powerful, but as Margaret Thatcher famously noted: "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money."

Has the "safety net" designed to help the truly needy become a comfortable cocoon often insulating against personal responsibility, motivation and accountability?

In this same column, Gerson asserts that Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street arguments have been generally vague, ideological and unhelpful. I would argue that the Occupy Wall Street message has been anything but "vague." It is an obvious promotion of entitlement mentality and redistribution of wealth using the class warfare rhetoric of liberalism.

On the other hand, I would argue that the Tea Party articulates a very clear message of conservatism: The federal government is too expansive, too expensive and too intrusive.

Tea Party folks universally believe this truth: The U.S. Constitution defines the powers and limitations of government. We believe we are a nation of laws, not of men, and we are not loyal to any political party. Tea parties nationwide have risen to the challenge of the constant vigilance required to preserve our constitutional republic. Therefore, I believe political debate and elections are indeed about ideology. I urge all citizens to become informed and engaged in the political process as we head into what may be the most important election, ideologically, of our lifetime.

Linda King is a resident of Mobile and is active in the Common Sense Campaign, a local Tea Party group. The Press-Register welcomes reader submissions for "Your Word" on topics of general interest. Mail them to "Your Word," P.O. Box 2488, Mobile, Ala. 36652 or email them to letters@press-register.com.